


Katrielle Layton and the definitely not canon adventure in Folsense

by Swannewrites



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: !!AND ALSO KINDA KATRIELLE AND THE MILLIONARE'S CONSPIRACY!!, !!BIG SPOILERS FOR PANDORA'S BOX!!, F/M, Flora and Clive show up very briefly, but if you haven't played that game fully you probably don't ship ernest and kat so, canon exists to be my bitch, folsense time, idk how to tag i haven't posted anything since february, in this house we make fun of how level 5 writes british characters' accents, lots of sarcastic comments, missing layton, probably an au, realisation after near death experiances, sherl exists to break the fourth wall, the games are hershel's diaries, why is flora in dropstone? who knows maybe she just never left
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26953216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swannewrites/pseuds/Swannewrites
Summary: Katrielle combs through her dad's diaries in an effort to find him, reads about a place called Folsense that apparently has vampires and immediately heads off with no hesitation or consultation with Ernest. What could possibly go wrong?(despite the title and summary, this is actually not a crack fic)
Relationships: Ernest Greeves/Katrielle Layton
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *rollerskates in after not posting anything for 6 months with a starbuck's coffee, a different fandom and a worse sense of humour*  
> so how are y'all doing?  
> not gonna lie, i wrote this last year, dug it out while looking for my plans for an ace attorney bake-off fic last night, thought it was actually somewhat decent and then i posted it so uhhh have fun?   
> sorry it's actually kinda long

It was a normal day at the Layton Detective Agency, the morning was foggy and cold and Ernest tried to combat this with multiple cups of tea. Katrielle was leafing through her father's journals, hoping to find a clue as to where he was, however unlikely this may be. She sighed and put down the one labelled "The Curious Village", according to Flora, her father had a very peculiar way of titling the books instead of labelling them by years. Honestly, it made the whole process a lot more annoying, she never knew which one came next. She took a sip of her tea and picked up the next two, "Lost Future" and "Pandora's Box", Kat thought the latter came next, so she began to read it, even if she wasn't sure.

As usual, it started out more boring than that bank case she had last year, but then soon descended into insanity after Dr Schrader died (?) and the gang got high off roses. Not as batshit insane as some of her father's other adventures, but enough to cause her mild concern. Kat was on the edge of her seat, but right before her father was about to open the box, his writing became completely illegible, it was obvious he wasn't writing on a flat surface or even sat down for that matter. All the other entries were like that, there was even one written entirely in the Professor's own special brand of illegible shorthand. It was like that until the very last entry that had Kat more confused than satisfied. Hallucinogenic gas? A castle falling down? All was well? Excuse me, Hershel?  
"Miss Layton, are you feeling ok? You look very confused." Ernest asked. Kat gave him a look and returned her gaze to the Molentary Express ticket that fell out of the back cover.  
"I think I may need to speak to my mother, hold down the fort for me Ernest!" She responded, taking the journal with her and heading for the door.  
"Ok Miss Layton!"

Katrielle made her way quickly through the London streets towards her childhood home, she didn't even bother to knock, just took out her keys and nearly gave her poor mother a heart attack.  
"Bloody hell Kat, you frightened the life out of me!"  
"Sorry mum, I was just wondering if you can read dad's "I'm-in-a-rush-panicking-and-writing-in-shorthand" handwriting?"  
"I can try!" Her mother laughed. Kat handed her the journal, open on the relevant pages. After a short minute, her mother looked up at her with the utmost confusion.  
"Well?"  
"Ok so. It barely makes sense as it is. He's talking about swordfights, gas, a goldmine?"  
Kat chuckled, "I take it you weren't there for this one then."  
"God I wish! He also mentions a vampire-"  
"A vampire?!" Kat's eyes lit up.  
"Well yes, but he was talking about hallucinogenic gas earlier so he's probably off his rocker..." Her mother tried, but Katrielle was already on a different planet, a planet where listening to your mother was a foreign concept.  
"I am so going to Folsense! Thanks mum!" She called over her shoulder as she ran out the door, leaving her mother shaking her head and wishing Kat wasn't such a perfect combination of herself and Hershel.

Kat ran back to the agency, completely missing Ernest on his way to the shops, she grabbed the 20-year-old train ticket and raced to the departure destination, King's Cross Station. She boldly approached the most senior-looking member of staff with the confidence only mild delusion can bring.  
"Excuse me sir, is there still a train that runs to Folsense?"  
"Never heard of it missy, sorry!"  
"But it's on this ticket?"  
The man looked confused. "May I take a look?"  
Kat obliged, showing her the ticket, the staff member chuckled.  
"Oh the desitination with a bunch of numbers! Haven't seen that one in a while. There's no line that currently runs directly to it, but there is a train to Dropstone which the train used to stop at, so I presume it's close."  
Kat lit up, another destination her father would have visited!  
"Oh thank you, when does that train leave?"  
"2pm, platform 3," the man glanced down at his watch, "you may want to hurry."  
"Thank you!" She yelled over her shoulder, running full force through the crowds.

Kat made it onto the train safely, if a little out of breath, and sat down in the first carriage that didn't have people in it. She took out her father's journal and sat back in her seat, confirming that he did, in fact, spend time in Dropstone. She let herself daydream, barely registering another person sitting down across from her. Her thoughts wandered and then they stood stock-still and Kat sat bolt upright.  
"Are you ok?" The lady opposite asked, barely looking up from her book.  
"I-I've forgotten something!"  
"Oh." She said.  
Kat glanced out the window and watched as the train shuddered into life. She sighed.  
"Too late now..."  
"Was it important?"  
"Special to me, but I suppose I can live without..."  
"What was it?" The other passenger said, one eyebrow raised, eyes still on her book.  
Kat stared at her. "My assistant."  
The lady looked up with a slightly worried look on her face. Kat could finally get a good look at her, she had ginger hair and hazel eyes framed with oval glasses. She had the impression that she had seen the lady before, where though, Kat couldn't say. The lady seemed to be getting a good look at her too, something akin to recognition in her eyes.  
"Where are you headed?" She asked the ginger-haired girl, attempting to lift the awkward silence that came over them as they tried to remember where they had seen the other before.  
"Dropstone, I have someone I'm supposed to meet..." She responded, tentatively.  
"Oh!" Kat smiled, "I'm headed there too! As a pitstop on the way to a further destination."  
"Oh? Where could that be?"  
"A place called Folsense," Kat said, excitedly showing the ticket to the other lady, "apparently, my father was there at some point and I wanted to know more!"  
"That ticket doesn't have a destination..." The lady muttered, peering closer at it.  
"Oh, that's the fun part! Look!" Kat folded the ticket in a certain way, making what was previously numbers into the word FOLSENSE.  
"Hah! Clever!" The ginger laughed, glancing once more at Kat as if she knew her. "What's your name?"  
"Katrielle Layton! Renowned detective!" Kat mock-bowed, "What's yours?"  
"Claire Foley, lovely to meet you"

Meanwhile, back at the agency, Ernest was flat out panicking. He had come back from the shops, cake in hand, and found nobody was left to eat it, just a dog who rather hautily told him that Kat had left, a 20-year-old train ticket and her bag the only things with her. Naturally, Ernest was a little bit worried, you know, just a tad.  
"Did she say anything Sherl?"  
"Bout what?"  
Ernest sighed, "About where she was going!"  
"Said something 'bout vampires, a town called Folsense?" Sherl said, settling back into his bed.  
"Well, we have to find her!"  
"Ugh."  
"Oh c'mon you lazy thing!"  
Sherl complied, if only because the boy was yelling at him, and padded out the door towards King's Cross Station. They faced the same issue as Kat did, meaning there wasn't actually a direct train to Folsense, the same man told them to take the train to Dropstone with a bemused laugh and a comment about the town's sudden popularity. They managed to catch a train leaving at 6pm.

By 6pm, Kat was already walking down an abandoned railway line towards Folsense. Claire, whose meeting had apparently been cancelled, was walking along beside her, wishing to ensure her safety. The two had made small talk as they walked, but Kat soon grew tired of it and occupied herself by trying to figure out where she knew Claire from.  
"I feel like I've seen your face before."  
"Oh really?" Claire laughed, a laugh that seemed a little fake to Katrielle. "Where?"  
"I'm not certain... Maybe in an old photograph from my father's university days..." Kat began to balance absentmindedly on the raised tracks, "...But those pictures are quite old and you don't look a day over 24 so.. It probably wasn't you."  
Claire looked nervously down at the tracks. "When were the photos taken?"  
"Hmm, probably in the 1960s, maybe later."  
She made a non-committal noise and redirected her gaze to the tracks ahead. "Why are you retracing your father's footsteps?"  
Ah, thought Katrielle, she's trying to change the subject, she must be hiding something.  
"Well..." She paused, debating whether or not she wanted to drop her line of questioning, "Truth is, my father's gone missing, the whole family is worried sick!"  
Claire looked over at her, clearly shocked. "Oh my, how long?"  
"12 years," Kat stated, matter-a-factly, no use dwelling on things she couldn't change.  
"And they still haven't found him?"  
"Nope! My brother Alfendi even got the police involved, but they still haven't. We thought he was on an expedition at first and just forgot to tell us but..."  
"Have they looked in every relatively deep hole?" Claire said, slight hints of laughter in her voice.  
Kat giggled, "No idea!"  
"Knowing Hershel, he's probably in some obscure ruin somewhere!"  
Katrielle's blood ran cold and she stopped in her tracks.

Meanwhile, Ernest and Sherl were on the train to Dropstone, bored out of their minds.  
"Why did she go to Folsense?" Ernest muttered.  
"I dunno Pinstripes." Yawned the dog, "you know our Kat and vampires."  
The green-haired boy sighed. Someone entered the cabin, a purple-haired lady, in her 40's, Ernest reckoned, and her daughter. He smiled at them both and shut his mouth.  
"Woof." Sherl stated, half-heartedly  
"Cute dog." The teenager said, barely looking up from her gameboy.  
"Thanks."  
"What breed is it?"  
"Umm-"  
"Bassett hound." Said Sherl, glaring at Ernest like he was supposed to know that  
"Bassett hound."   
"Cool"  
The mother was staring out the window, gazing out at the landscapes passing them by. She reminded Ernest somewhat of Luke Triton's wife, similar eyes, purple hair, but most likely a coincidence. He sighed, wishing he had brought something to do on the train ride, instead he just watched the hills roll by.  
"Mum?" The teenager asked.  
"Yes honey?"  
"How long until we get to Dropstone?"  
"About 2 hours darling."  
The daughter groaned. "And then we gotta walk all the way to Folsense!"  
"We'll tackle that tomorrow," she hushed to a whisper while giving a cautious look to Ernest. "and don't speak so loudly about Folsense!"  
"Sorry to butt in, but I'm headed to Folsense too." Ernest mumbled with a polite smiles. The mother looked shocked.  
"Why?!"  
Ernest was quite taken aback. "My friend went to there in a hurry and I didn't want her to be on her own?"  
"Ooo how noble!" Sang the teenager.  
"You had the right idea, be careful."   
Well, that was ominous.

"You knew my father," Kat stated, stopping and balancing on one of the abandoned railway tracks, making herself taller than Claire. She stopped alongside her and glanced up, panic visible in her eyes. She remained silent.  
"How did you know my father?"  
"I'm not really supposed to say..." She stuttered, eyes darting left and right. Kat stood on her tiptoes and glared.  
"Tell me, now."  
"I can't-" Kat grabbed her by the collar, "Ok! Ok! Jesus Christ unhand me!"  
She put the poor woman down and gestured to the tracks, "Walk and talk."  
"You must have gotten that from your mother," Claire muttered, "I knew your father back in his university days, it most likely was me in those photographs you were talking about."  
"Keep going."  
Claire sighed, "I gave him that top hat he always wears."  
Kat raised her eyebrows, "He said someone very special gave him that hat, I asked if I could meet them, but he said they were..."  
"Dead?" Claire laughed, bitterly.  
"Yeah. You were close?"  
"We were in love."  
Kat paused, thinking back to a conversation she'd had once upon a time. "Were you the one that "died" in that big explosion, the one that killed Clive's parents?"  
Claire nodded, then Katrielle thought about it a little longer.  
"But, that's impossible. There were no survivors, it was impossible to have survived it! How are you here?!" She said, voice rising in pitch as she pictured all sorts of undead creatures coming for her.  
"Do you know what caused the explosion?" Claire asked as if it were totally normal to be talking about your own death. Katrielle shook her head.  
"It was caused by a time machine, that's why I'm still here." She smiled a bittersweet smile, "Leaping from generation to generation, doomed to simply watch as the world exists without me. Hurry up Kat, it's getting dark."  
They walked onwards without another word.


	2. Chapter 2

The bells in Dropstone tolled 8pm as the train pulled into the station. As quick as possible, Ernest dragged Sherl off the train and peered around for anything resembling a hotel. The little village was filled with strange houses and winding country roads, for a man like Ernest, who had rarely left the city, it seemed almost foreign, weirdly enough, he missed the exhaust fumes and the cacophony of London traffic. It was very pretty though. Obviously, Ernest looked out of place, as an older lady quite quickly picked up on this and tapped him on the shoulder.  
"You look quite lost dear!" She said, adjusting the bag of vegetables in her hand.  
"Um I am actually, do you know where the nearest hotel is?"  
The woman chuckled, "Indeed a do, my friend Doris manages a bed and breakfast! She's away at the moment, but the receptionist and her little friend should still be keeping it open. Right over there!"  
Ernest looked in the direction she was pointing, "That house with the green door?"  
"That's the one!"  
"Thank you!" Ernest called as he set off toward the house. As soon as he crossed the threshold, he could smell the amazing scent of fresh bread, the furniture in the lobby was old and well-loved and everything had a homely vibe. With Sherl still in his arms, he stepped up to the counter. Behind it, a man in his early 40's was reading a newspaper, half asleep. This didn't seem to be the receptionist.  
"Hello?"  
The man fell off his chair.   
"Shit an actual customer." He muttered, picking himself off the floor. "The manager isn't in right now, do you need a room?"  
Ernest blinked, "Yes?"  
"Hold on, let me get my friend." He disappeared into what looked like a kitchen and, in his place, out came a woman Ernest was sure he had seen and spoken to before but couldn't place.  
"Hello!" She said, cheerfully, as she wiped the flour off her hands and onto her orange pinny. "Sorry Clive was so rude, he's usually in the back doing taxes or whatever lawyers do."  
Ernest laughed weakly  
"So! How can I help you?"  
"Uhh just a single room please."  
"How many nights?" The lady said, giving him a friendly smile.  
"Just the one I think."  
"Brilliant, 40 pounds please." She paused as Ernest handed her the money. "Sorry it's so expensive, last-minute bookings always are."  
"Oh it's quite alright, I understand!" Ernest was quite bemused, in central London, 40 pounds could probably not even buy you breakfast. The lady smiled at him and handed him a room key.  
"Room 11, up the stairs and to your right. Have a good day Mr Greeves."  
He froze as he took the key, so they did know each other. He paused, oh god what was her name?  
"Thank you... Flora?"  
"Ding ding ding!" She said, heading back into the kitchen. Huh, he thought as headed up the stairs to his room, Flora Reinhold, running a B and B. He'd have to tell Katrielle that.

"I'll have to leave you here now," Claire said as they approached a dark tunnel. "This leads to Folsense."  
"Thank you for walking me here." Kat murmured, gazing apprehensively at the abyss before her. Claire handed her a torch, but when Kat turned to thank her, the woman was gone. She swallowed a sudden lump in her throat and ventured into the tunnel, torchlight illuminating something on the wall. Frowning, she moved closer and saw that they were pictures, all depicting a beautifully illuminated city by night. Fairy lights streamed from each house and happy people stared back at her, frozen in time. The photos continued until there was a single one left by a strong iron gate, she did a double-take and leant in to examine it further. It was her father and Luke stood in what looked like the same town square as some of the other photos, except without the colour and fairy lights. They stood beside a teenager with purple hair and an old man with long silver hair. Great, she thought, more questions to answer. Kat took her mother's camera out of her bag and snapped a quick picture for later, then turned her attention to the gates. She tugged at one and felt no resistance, bizarre. Past the iron gates, the tunnel opened up into the same square her father had stood in nearly 20 years before. Like the final picture, there were no fairy lights, none of the buildings were illuminated, the whole place looked like it was in a state of decay. A strange smell permeated the area, sickly sweet, almost like chloroform. Kat pegged her nose and continued walking, the path from the square leading to a row of dilapidated houses she had seen in the previous pictures in all their glory, they now lay abandoned, no light came from their windows, not even the one whose window's spelt hotel. Kat, ever unfazed, knocked at the hotel's door, but no-one answered, the door simply swung open of its own accord. The inside was not as ransacked as the outside, but it was dusty, the furniture was covered in layers of the stuff and only two things remained on the circular tables: a tea set and an old camera, missing parts of its casing. They looked relatively new compared to the other pieces in the room, so Kat examined them. The tea set held several herbs and leaves and some yellowed paper recipes were stored in the lid. Kat took a photo, then picked up the first recipe. She recognised the handwriting immediately as Luke's, there was no mistaking it, neat and joined but with the tell-tale signs that the writer was still a child. They were here. She took another few photos of the room before she headed upstairs. She found what looked like the newest room and stripped the bed, bashing the dust out the broken window. She didn't trust the mattress, so instead settled on the floor with the old blanket and pillow and fell asleep, clutching her bag to her chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this chapter is shorter than the last one, now that i've decided to do it in chapters, i realised i have to stop at sensible places so yeah, this was the only cut off point that made sense.

**Author's Note:**

> this is actually way longer than i thought it would be, so lucky you, you're getting a multi-chapter out of me!


End file.
